CDOT Reopens Bijou Bridge/Ribbon Cutting Held for I-25 & Speer Boulevard Interchange

CDOT reopened the Bijou Bridge in Colorado Springs in early October, completing a key segment of the COSMIX project.

CDOT Reopens Bijou Bridge

Officials from the Colorado Department of Transportation, the city of Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Rockrimmon Constructors a joint venture of CH2M Hill Cos. and Sema Construction Inc. and the Downtown Partnership reopened the Bijou Bridge and interchange to traffic on Oct. 1, completing one segment of the Colorado Springs Metro Interstate Expansion.

This segment of the COSMIX project included nine months of reconstruction on the interchange and I-25 mainline, replacing the Bijou Street bridges over I-25, Monument Creek and the Union Pacific railroad and work on the I-25 bridges over Colorado Avenue.

The Bijou bridge had been closed since January.

CRibbon Cutting Held for I-25/Speer Boulevard Interchange

Colorado Transportation Commissioner Henry Sobanet, city of Denver Councilwoman Judy Montero and representatives from Invesco Field, the Children’s Museum of Denver and the Downtown Aquarium celebrated the completion of the I-25/Speer Boulevard interchange improvement project on Oct. 3.

The 18-month project first began in February 2004 to improve safety and traffic flow on southbound I-25 near Speer Boulevard and Invesco Field. Two years later, the second phase began to improve the I-25/Speer Boulevard interchange by eliminating the loop ramps on the west side of the interchange and constructing a new signalized intersection.

In addition, a new flyover ramp from southbound I-25 to 23rd Avenue was constructed. The improvements eliminate the unsafe merging movements often associated with motorists trying to enter or exit southbound I-25 near Speer and 23rd Avenue.

CDOT says the project completion means safer and better access to downtown Denver entertainment venues, not only for motorists but also for bicyclists and pedestrians.

U.S. 285 Complete at Willow Springs Road, Turkey Creek Road

After just over a year of construction, the Colorado Department of Transportation has reopened all lanes of U.S. Highway 285 between Willow Springs and Turkey Creek roads.

U.S. 285 has been in a temporary alignment since September 2006 so crews could replace the northbound and southbound bridges over Willow Springs and Turkey Creek roads.

Both of the bridges were originally constructed in 1967 and were two of the most deficient bridges in the state, with sufficiency ratings in the upper 20s. The replacement of these structures greatly improves the infrastructure of U.S. 285, allowing the bridges to safely carry 25,000 vehicles a day.

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